Weather initiative a winner for road users

24 Sep 2008 12:00 am
| NZ Transport Agency

An award-winning initiative that improves safety and helps keep roads open in the Central Plateau is first and foremost a winner for road users, says the NZ Transport Agency network operations manager Dave Bates.

An award-winning initiative that improves safety and helps keep roads open in the Central Plateau is first and foremost a winner for road users, says the NZ Transport Agency network operations manager Dave Bates.

The Central Plateau Road Weather Network, a joint initiative between the NZ Transport Agency and MetService, was today named the winner of the road engineering category of the annual New Zealand Road Safety Innovation and Achievement Awards.

“By using real time weather information from twelve hi-tech weather stations provided by MetService, we’ve been able to keep the roads safer for motorists throughout some testing weather conditions this year,” says Mr Bates.

“The work we do maintaining the state highway network is hugely weather-dependent, especially in the Central Plateau. The weather network helps us better prepare for, and recover from, adverse conditions. It enables our road crews to pinpoint specific problem locations and respond much faster than we previously could.

“We’d like to give our congratulations to the MetService, which devised a comprehensive hi-tech weather observation and reporting system to make this possible.

“Being able to know, in real-time, what conditions we’re facing out there makes a huge difference. It makes the journeys safer for motorists and helps keep the roads open for business.”

Mr Bates says the network has proved to be an excellent pilot programme that shows the potential benefits for wider application. NZTA will continue to work closely with MetService to explore how real-time weather information can continue to make life easier for motorists.

The NZ Transport Agency works to create transport solutions for all New Zealanders – from helping new drivers earn their licences, to leading safety campaigns to investing in public transport, state highways and local roads.